I came to understand that the things that mattered most to me that I sacrificed for, fought for, was in turmoil about throughout the course of my life journey mattered the least to those who were closest to me.

I have come to understand that was the case because they had not endured the things I had nor been granted the holy gift of soul penetrating life experience to garner vision about what is truly important in life.

Lori Ellis-McKinney (2017)